@article{GernertKieselFroehlichetal.2021,
  author    = {Gernert, Michael and Kiesel, Matthias and Fr{\"o}hlich, Matthias and Renner, Regina and Strunz, Patrick-Pascal and Portegys, Jan and Tony, Hans-Peter and Schmalzing, Marc and Schwaneck, Eva Christina},
  title     = {High Prevalence of Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection in Patients With Primary Immunodeficiencies},
  series = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  issn      = {1664-3224},
  doi       = {10.3389/fimmu.2021.789345},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-250273},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Background Genital human papillomavirus (HPV)-infections are common in the general population and are responsible for relevant numbers of epithelial malignancies. Much data on the HPV-prevalence is available for secondary immunodeficiencies, especially for patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection. Little is known about the genital HPV-prevalence in patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of patients with PIDs and took genital swabs from male and female patients, which were analyzed with polymerase chain reaction for the presence of HPV-DNA. Clinical and laboratory data was collected to identify risk factors. Results 28 PID patients were included in this study. 10 of 28 (35.7\%) had HPV-DNA in their genital swabs. 6 patients had high-risk HPV-types (21.4\%). Most patients had asymptomatic HPV-infections, as genital warts were rare (2 of 28 patients) and HPV-associated malignancy was absent. Differences in the HPV-positivity regarding clinical PID-diagnosis, duration of PID, age, sex, immunosuppression, immunoglobulin replacement, or circumcision in males were not present. HPV-positive PID patients had higher numbers of T cells (CD3\(^+\)), of cytotoxic T cells (CD3\(^+\)/CD8\(^+\)), of transitional B cells (CD19\(^+\)/CD38\(^{++}\)/CD10\(^+\)/IgD\(^+\)), and of plasmablasts (CD19\(^+\)/CD38\(^+\)/CD27\(^{++}\)/IgD\(^-\)) compared to HPV-negative. Conclusion PID patients exhibit a high rate of genital HPV-infections with a high rate of high-risk HPV-types. Regular screening for symptomatic genital HPV-infection and HPV-associated malignancy in PID patients seems recommendable.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{FroehlichSerflingHiguchietal.2021,
  author    = {Fr{\"o}hlich, Matthias and Serfling, Sebastian and Higuchi, Takahiro and Pomper, Martin G. and Rowe, Steven P. and Schmalzing, Marc and Tony, Hans-Peter and Gernert, Michael and Strunz, Patrick-Pascal and Portegys, Jan and Schwaneck, Eva-Christina and Gadeholt, Ottar and Weich, Alexander and Buck, Andreas K. and Bley, Thorsten A. and Guggenberger, Konstanze V. and Werner, Rudolf A.},
  title     = {Whole-Body [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT Can Alter Diagnosis in Patients with Suspected Rheumatic Disease},
  series = {Diagnostics},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {Diagnostics},
  number    = {11},
  issn      = {2075-4418},
  doi       = {10.3390/diagnostics11112073},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-250227},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The 2-deoxy-d-[\(^{18}\)F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is widely utilized to assess the vascular and articular inflammatory burden of patients with a suspected diagnosis of rheumatic disease. We aimed to elucidate the impact of [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT on change in initially suspected diagnosis in patients at the time of the scan. Thirty-four patients, who had undergone [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT, were enrolled and the initially suspected diagnosis prior to [18F]FDG PET/CT was compared to the final diagnosis. In addition, a semi-quantitative analysis including vessel wall-to-liver (VLR) and joint-to-liver (JLR) ratios was also conducted. Prior to [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT, 22/34 (64.7\%) of patients did not have an established diagnosis, whereas in 7/34 (20.6\%), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) was suspected, and in 5/34 (14.7\%), giant cell arteritis (GCA) was suspected by the referring rheumatologists. After [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT, the diagnosis was GCA in 19/34 (55.9\%), combined GCA and PMR (GCA + PMR) in 9/34 (26.5\%) and PMR in the remaining 6/34 (17.6\%). As such, [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT altered suspected diagnosis in 28/34 (82.4\%), including in all unclear cases. VLR of patients whose final diagnosis was GCA tended to be significantly higher when compared to VLR in PMR (GCA, 1.01 ± 0.08 (95\%CI, 0.95-1.1) vs. PMR, 0.92 ± 0.1 (95\%CI, 0.85-0.99), p = 0.07), but not when compared to PMR + GCA (1.04 ± 0.14 (95\%CI, 0.95-1.13), p = 1). JLR of individuals finally diagnosed with PMR (0.94 ± 0.16, (95\%CI, 0.83-1.06)), however, was significantly increased relative to JLR in GCA (0.58 ± 0.04 (95\%CI, 0.55-0.61)) and GCA + PMR (0.64 ± 0.09 (95\%CI, 0.57-0.71); p < 0.0001, respectively). In individuals with a suspected diagnosis of rheumatic disease, an inflammatory-directed [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT can alter diagnosis in the majority of the cases, particularly in subjects who were referred because of diagnostic uncertainty. Semi-quantitative assessment may be helpful in establishing a final diagnosis of PMR, supporting the notion that a quantitative whole-body read-out may be useful in unclear cases.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GernertTonySchwaneketal.2022,
  author    = {Gernert, Michael and Tony, Hans-Peter and Schwanek, Eva Christina and Gadeholt, Ottar and Fr{\"o}hlich, Matthias and Portegys, Jan and Strunz, Patrick-Pascal and Schmalzing, Marc},
  title     = {Lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood are disturbed in systemic sclerosis patients and can be changed by immunosuppressive medication},
  series = {Rheumatology International},
  volume    = {42},
  journal   = {Rheumatology International},
  number    = {8},
  issn      = {1437-160X},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00296-021-05034-8},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-266482},
  pages     = {1373-1381},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe chronic disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. SSc displays disturbed lymphocyte homeostasis. Immunosuppressive medications targeting T or B cells can improve disease manifestations. SSc clinical manifestations and immunosuppressive medication in itself can cause changes in lymphocyte subsets. The aim of this study was to investigate peripheral lymphocyte homeostasis in SSc with regards to the immunosuppression and to major organ involvement. 44 SSc patients and 19 healthy donors (HD) were included. Immunophenotyping of peripheral whole blood by fluorescence-activated cell sorting was performed. Cytokine secretions of stimulated B cell cultures were measured. SSc patients without immunosuppression compared to HD displayed lower γδ T cells, lower T helper cells (CD3+/CD4+), lower transitional B cells (CD19+/CD38++/CD10+/IgD+), lower pre-switched memory B cells (CD19+/CD27+/IgD+), and lower post-switched memory B cells (CD19+/CD27+/IgD-). There was no difference in the cytokine production of whole B cell cultures between SSc and HD. Within the SSc cohort, mycophenolate intake was associated with lower T helper cells and lower NK cells (CD56+/CD3-). The described differences in peripheral lymphocyte subsets between SSc and HD generate further insight in SSc pathogenesis. Lymphocyte changes under effective immunosuppression indicate how lymphocyte homeostasis in SSc might be restored.},
  language  = {en}
}